Christmas Card Curl Power // Thanks, Pantene!

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Success! Sort of last minute, I decided that our family needed to attempt a photo for Christmas cards. We set up the tripod in the backyard, pulled down the garland from our mantle, threw down the fabric I bought for a sewing project, and we did it! Here are a couple of our outtakes:
In addition to the children (and Chris!) being good sports and cooperating, I would like to thank my hair for being well behaved, too. I thought it would be a good time to try the Pantene products to get picture perfect ringlets. I'm happy to report that using the products produced much better results compared to my first attempt with the curling wand! Photo worthy hair, for sure!

First I watched this video tutorial specific for long hair and curling wands. Next, I gave it a go myself:

1. To achieve my holiday photograph look, I used Pantene Heat Shield Shampoo and Conditioner (not pictured), KeraGloss Oil Mist, Silky Moisture Whip, Heat Protection Spray, Shaping Hairspray, and Smooth Serum. // 2. Since I'm a night showerer, I showered at night and let my hair air dry. I typically sleep with it in a bun so it usually dries pretty funky. // 3. After taking the bun down in the morning, my hair is usually a frizzy, crunchy mess. However, by using the Moisture Whip, it wasn't really crunchy at all. Holla! // 4. I smoothed down my "baby bangs" (hair regrowth after having Caroline) with the smoothing serum. (I detest my baby bangs... more about that some other post). // 5. I sprayed each strand of hair with the heat protecting spray before curling it. // 6. Look! Soft, touchable ringlets! // 7. Wowzers! A head full of curls in five minutes flat. They're not perfect, but that's okay. I wanted them to be a bit looser. // 8. I shook 'em out to make them a little less like a Shirley Temple coif and more like loose, Connie Britton curls.

Thanks so much to all who entered the Pantene giveaway I hosted! Sarah B. was the winner. Thank you, Pantene Pro-V for partnering with Adored Austin. My Christmas card hair thanks you, too! 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Giving curls a whirl + a giveaway from Pantene [closed]

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For my birthday, thanks to Twitter recommendations from Jess, Jentine, and Linda (all who have great hair!) Chris got me this curling wand, after I misplaced my the curling I had inadvertently stolen from my best friend. If you follow me on Instagram, you are privy to the fact that my first foray with the curling wand wasn't exactly successful. Yikes!

With my lightened ombre ends and (finally!) longer length after growing out this haircut, my hair felt a little crunchy and looked a lot frizzy the first time I styled it with the wand. This is what I wanted vs. what I got the first time I tried it:

Oh, golly. I'm sorry for using a Kardashian photo as an example as to what I aspire to have. I promise I am only envious of the Kardashian sisters when it comes to follicles! Geesh.

My working theory is that I need to step it up in the hair products department. Maybe some good conditioner and serum and hair spray can make my perfect curls happen. Pantene, the reigning queen brand of affordable, healthy, shiny, and beautiful hair, recently sent me a big 'ole box of goodies to try, so I am hoping to play around with my hair this weekend to see if I can get some smooth waves just in time for the holiday get togethers Chris and I have lined up. Thankfully most of these products are to use with hot tools, so I'm excited to give them a go. I'm even more excited that one of y'all can win the same exact goodie box! Can we do hair experiments together?
If you want to win the same prize pack I got to try out, please enter your info below by this Sunday. Winner will be drawn Monday, December 23:

[Form removed. Entry period passed.]

Tune in on Monday to see how my curls turn out!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Review by Chris: Waterstone Salon

A quick note: Starting now, from time to time my husband Chris will occasionally contribute content to Adored Austin. From my giveaway entries and talking with friends I know there are at least a few menfolk who lurk here, and every once in a while Chris has a great story or experience to share. He's an excellent blogger (he even blogged for Clinique for a year!), and I am excited he's willing to share his voice here. Without further ado, here's a post from Chris. -Indiana

I badly needed a haircut. The girl who has cut my hair for the last three years left her salon, so for my last two cuts I went to the closest place by my work then used a random salon my wife found on Groupon. Results were less than satisfactory. Unlike Indiana who can go six months without a haircut, I need a trim every six weeks to keep my mop looking decent.
As you can see, it had been a while since my last cut, perhaps two months, and I was starting to develop what Indiana calls a "Mullittle" (a little mullet). I call them "ducktails". I would like to state here and now that I have never had a mullet, not even as a child in the 1980's. Nor a rattail.

When Indiana said a perspective blog sponsor would like to give me a haircut, I knew I had to take it, but I was suspicious. Please remember, she had previously sent me to a get a bad haircut at a less than stellar salon she had found on Groupon.

Being the trusting and loving husband that I am and being in dire need of a cut, I allowed her to set me up an appointment with Ziggy at Waterstone Salon. Last Saturday, we went.
Waterstone only sells Bumble and Bumble hair products. Fun fact: when my wife and I were just dating, I accidentally broke a cologne bottle so I put the cologne into an empty Bumble and Bumble spray container. Indiana came over to my place, saw it in the bathroom, thought it was hair spray, and proceeded to coat her hair with my cologne. For that reason, we always smile when we see Bumble and Bumble bottles.

We arrived a few minutes late to the appointment, and Ziggy was waiting patiently for us in the waiting area. Right off that bat, I noticed two things:

Lighten up

My sweet friend Tolly left a comment for me regarding my hair color a few posts back, and I realized that 1- I never answered her, and 2- I never blogged about my ombré hair dye experience. I requested the ombré treatment from Francisco before I was pregnant and man, did he deliver:

[music: "No Pants Friday" by Lee Rosevere]

You can't see it very well in the video, but it showed up great in my March 1 outfit photo. Extreme close-up action coming right up! Boom: I really like it. It's subtle and Francisco is a complete joy to be around. I love being in his chair! If you're in Austin or Corpus Christi, I cannot recommend seeing him enough. Check out his website and Facebook for more info. 
Since I started going to places other than the "salon" inside Walmart to get my hair done, I've been trying to take care of my hair a little better. I'e discovered that I really like trying new shampoos and whatnot. Here's what I'm currently using and enjoying:

Boston awesome

We arrived in Boston Saturday night. We've been sitting in the hot tub and just taking it easy, in general. Tough life, I know. Chris doesn't usually take a lot of time off, so it's nice for him to be able to use this week to relax and visit with family. I'm reading like crazy and enjoying the new scenery. Today we're heading up to Rockport to eat lobster rolls for lunch.

My new haircut is doing well. I'm training my part to the other side and I'm enjoying the ease of the new 'do (here's some quick Photobooth shots for you):

I can't believe how little shampoo I need now. I haven't ever had my hair this short. I thought I'd be unrecognizable with this new style, but one of the sweet girls working the dressing room at Buffalo Exchange asked, "Do you do Adored Austin?" Wha--?! I guess that just goes to show that what one perceives as drastic change maybe isn't so drastic after all.